Easter. What to put on the table

• As Easter approaches, we can’t help but start looking for the most delicious offerings for the festive table. One of the most desired and loved baked goods around the Resurrection of Christ is kozunak. But let’s not forget that Easter wouldn’t be real without the taste of slow-roasted tender lamb.

Ritual bread

Products: 1 kg of flour; 1 tsp milk; 1/2 tsp. sugar; 1 tsp salt; 10g of yeast; 2 tbsp. oil (2 tbsp cow butter); 5-7 dyed eggs.

Products: The flour is sifted, placed in a suitable container and a well is made in the middle. The yeast dissolved in 150 ml of water, fresh milk, salt, sugar and oil are poured into it. Knead a soft dough. Leave to rise for at least 30 minutes at a temperature of 32 degrees. 1/5 of the dough is separated, and the rest is shaped like a round loaf. Pre-boiled and painted eggs are arranged on the bread, a thin strip is made from the separated dough, which surrounds each egg. Rise once more and bake at a temperature of 200 degrees until done.

Tender roast leg of lamb

Products: 1 piece. leg of lamb (2.5 kg) or shoulder (2 kg), 1 head of garlic, 2 tbsp. tomato puree, 1 tbsp. mustard, 1 tsp. brown sugar, 1 tsp. white wine, 5-6 sprigs of fresh thyme, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. black pepper, 1 tsp. red pepper, 1 tsp. cumin, 50 g of oil

Preparation: Wash well and dry the meat with a towel. Make small slits (regarding 20 slits) all over the surface of the lamb with a knife. Insert half a clove of garlic into each slit.

Mix the salt, black pepper and red pepper and rub it into the meat.

Heat the oil in a small saucepan and add the brown sugar. Stir and add the tomato puree and mustard. Leave for 1 minute while stirring. Coat the leg of lamb with the mixture on all sides. Preheat the oven to 240 °C on the first shelf of the oven.

Place in the bottom of a deep metal baking tray. Pour into the pan 1 tsp. hot water, the wine and 5 tbsp. sunflower oil. Put the thyme leaves in the pan as well. Cover the tray with foil. Bake for regarding 30 minutes, then reduce the oven to 180 °C and bake for another 3 hours. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes until an appetizing crust. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving plate. Cover loosely with foil and set aside to rest for 20 – 30 minutes.

Stuffed eggs

Products: eggs – 6 pcs., mayonnaise – 5 – 6 tablespoons, red pepper – 2 pinches, garlic – 2 cloves (not very large), parsley – 2 stalks, lettuce – leaves for decoration when serving

Preparation: Boil the eggs for 13-14 minutes until hard. Cool and peel. Each peeled egg is cut lengthwise in the middle, the yolks are taken out in a bowl and mashed with a fork.

Add mayonnaise, crushed or finely ground garlic cloves, salt and red pepper.

Everything is mixed until homogenous and, if desired, seasoned with salt and pepper. Fill the holes of the egg halves with the obtained yolk mixture, and this can be done with a small spoon or a syringe. The finished stuffed eggs are served with fresh salad leaves.

Sprinkle freshly chopped parsley on top of the stuffed eggs with yolk and mayonnaise.

Kurban-stew

Products: lamb meat, lamb offal – 250 grams, onion – 1 – 2 onions, hot peppers – 3 – 4 pieces, butter – 70 g cow’s milk, eggs – 1 piece, parsley – 1 bunch, salt, pepper – to taste, flour, oil

Preparation: Cut the lamb into pieces, wash and dry the lamb giblets, then mince them as well.

Pour hot water over the meat and offal in a pot and put them to boil. Periodically remove the foam that forms. Finely chop the onion and hot peppers and add them to the soup.

Put the butter and a little oil in a pan and fry the flour until slightly golden. Add some of the stock, mix it up, then add to the soup.

Add more hot water if needed and let it boil for a few minutes.

Build the Kurban soup with the beaten egg, which must be crossed. Remove from the heat, sprinkle with finely chopped chives and parsley and serve.